Rail-joint.



No. 790,539; PATENTED MAY 28,1905.

v J. w. TURTON.

RAIL JOIN T. AJIPLIOATIO'N rILnp Farm. 1905.

UNITED STATES Patented May 23, 1905.

JOHN W. TURTON, ()F ROCKPORT, INDIANA.

RAIL-JOINT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 790,539, dated May 23, 1905.

Application filed February 3, 1905. Serial No. 243,999. I

To all whom, i2; may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN W. TURToN, aciti- Zen of the United States, residing at Rockport, in the county of Spence and State of Indiana,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Joints, of which the following is a specification.-

The object of this invention is to subserve the rigidity of joint means of the meetingends of rails or the like; and the invention involves novel formation of the end portions of rails whereby the same may be joined together compactly, so as to reduce vibration and obviate the likelihood of rounding of the rails at the ends.

For a full descriptionof the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the means for efi'ecting the result reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings. 7

While the invention may be adapted to different forms and conditions by changes inthe structure and minor details without departing from the spirit or essential features thereof, still the preferred embodiment thereof is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the invention applied. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view. Fig. 3 is a combined view showing the end portions of adjacent railsjin perspective andbringing out more clearly the formation of the same.

Corresponding and like partsare referred to in the following description and indicated in all the-views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

In the drawings the numeral 1 indicates the rails, the end portions of which join together,

a and in general formation said rails are of a form somewhat similar to those at present in use.

1n carrying out the invention it is designed to obviate the use of fish-plates and securingbolts in order to simplify the structure materially. The ball or head of the rails is indicated at 2, the web at 3, and the base portion at 4:. The meeting ends of the rails are of peculiar formation in order that they may be interlocked to thereby reinforce the rails firmly against vertical stress, at the ends to reduce vibration and jar and prevent rounding. A

plurality of extensions 5 project from the end projects from theball or head 2 of the rail,

and the upper side of this extension is flush with said ball or head. The lowermost of the extensions projectsfrom' .the base 4 of the rail at a point between the sides thereof, and an intermediate extension projects from the web 3 in spaced relation to the'uppermost and lowermost extensions above described. The several extensions 5 are received in recessed portions 6 in the end-0f the rail which is to be joined with the rail carrying'the said extensions, and the disposition of the extensions 5 in the recesses Gaifords an interlocking connection in a manner readily apparent. The uppermost recess 6 is formed in the ball 2 of the rail 1, the lowermost in'the base, and the intermediate recess is formed by the cutting away of the web of the rail at the end, as shown clearly in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The bases of the rails l are transversely broadened at the ends, the broadened portions being shown at7, said portions 7 being notched orrecessed, as indicated at 8, to admit of driving the spikes in such a manner as to rest in the recessed portions and position the rails from any longitudinal or lateral displacement. The flanges 7 afford an extended transverse bearing for the rails at the extremities thereof with reference to the ties upon which they rest, and are preferably formed in the manufacture of the rails, so as to be integral therewith.

. When the rail ends are placed together, the uppermost and lowermost of the extensions 5 are housed partially injthe recesses 6 which receive the same, the intermediate extension being exposed at the sides, however. The said upper and lower extensions cooperate in preventing lateral displacement of the rail ends, reinforcing the rails against lateral stress also.

The extensions 5 not only reinforce the conneetion of the rails laterally, but the provision of the intermediate extension affords a reinforcing member for the upper and lower extensions. In other words, the upper extension at no time sustains the whole downward strain upon the rail as the rolling-stock passes thereover, and, further, the same is true with reference to the lowermost extension when the strain is placed upon the latter by the recessed rail adjacent. The liability of breakage of the upper and lowermost extensions is thus almost entirely obviated, and this is of no small importance in this class of joint structures.

Under some conditions it may be desirable to utilize ties or securing members which positively engage the base of the rails when the latter are in operative position. 'These members are preferably used where the rail ends rest upon ties and are held in place by spikes.

It will be seen that the joint means utilized, as above described, is very simple and admits of ready detachment of the rails whenever necessary and facilitates the assemblage and proper positioning of the same in laying track.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. In a rail-joint, the combination of rails, one of said rails being provided atan end thereof with a plurality of extensions arranged in vertical alinement, the other rail having its end portion formed with a plurality of reeesses adapted to receive the extensions of the first-mentioned rail, the ends of the rails adjacent the meeting-points thereof, being transversely broadened to form an extended hearing for the ends upon the ties.

2. In a rail-joint, the combination of rails, upper, lower and intermediate extensions projecting from the end of one rail, one of said extensions being in the head, one in the web, and one in the base of said rail, and the end of the other rail having recesses to receive corresponding extensions.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN W. TUR'ION. liL. s]

Vitnesses:

O'rrro KRAMER, E. L. BOYD. 

